A 25-year-old female healthcare worker’s life was cut tragically short when she was killed in a mass shooting at a large house party. Asia Hester, a resident of Bridgeton, New Jersey, was one of two people fatally shot on the night of May 22, 2021, at a birthday party in Fairfield Township, Cumberland County. Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, she had moved to the United States to pursue a career in healthcare and was working as a Patient Care Technician.
The festive gathering, with over 100 people in attendance, turned into a scene of chaos and terror around 11:50 p.m. when gunfire erupted. When the violence ended, Hester and 30-year-old Kevin Elliott were dead, and twelve other people were wounded. Authorities later described the event not as a random act of violence, but as a targeted attack.
Investigators recovered multiple firearms and numerous shell casings from the large crime scene.
In the months following the shooting, law enforcement made several arrests. One of the first individuals taken into custody was Kevin Dawkins, who was charged with weapons offenses. The investigation continued, and in August 2021, authorities announced murder charges against another man. Zedekiah Holmes, 21, was charged with the murders of both Asia Hester and Kevin Elliott. Holmes was also charged with the attempted murder of four other people who were injured at the party.
